Hanging device for arc lamps



(No Model.)

W. K. HOWARD, Jr.

HANGING DEVICE FORARO LAMPS. No. 165;666. Patented Dec. 22, 1891.

Winesew fnz/entor 8 m'eawv mum/way NITED STATES XVILLIAM KEY llOlVARD,JR, OF FREDERICKSBUR l, VIRGINIA.

HANGING DEVICE FOR ARC LAMPS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 465,665, dated December22, 1891. Application filed October 30, 1890. Serial No. 369,854. (Nomodel.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM KEY HowAnn, J12, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Fredericksburg, in the county of Spottsylva-- niaand State of Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Hanging Devices for Are Lamps; and I do hereby declare the followingto be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such aswill enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

The objects of my invention are, first, to provide a hanging device fora lamp, where by the lamp shall be firmly supportedwhen in place, thehoistingcord relieved of all strain, and the device well protected fromthe weather; second, to provide means for securing the lamp in orreleasing it from its position by the use of the hoisting-cord only,and, thirdly, to furnish a hanger that maybe readily attached to anyspan-wire and means for readily adjusting it in position thereon at anydesired point.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a side view of ahanger for a lamp, provided with my improvements, a part" of the frameor casing of the hanger being removed. Fig. 2 is a vertical section ofthe same, looking from the front. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of theclasp connected with the hoisting-cord. Fig. 4 represents a modificationin the construction of the device. Fig. 5 illustrates the movement ofthe clasp.

Referring to the drawings, A designates the side parts of the frame orcasing, between and in which is journaled a pulley C, the upper edges ofthe said sides being detachably connected with a cover or cap B, whichis bent laterally, being intended to straddle the spanwire D, from whichthe hanger is suspended, as shown. Within the cap B, are journaled twogrooved rollers E, which form the bearings of the hanger on the wire D,so that the hanger may be readily moved on said wire in eitherdirection.

The side parts A are provided on their inner sides, near their loweredges, with rests or bearing-pieces a for a clasp F, which is attachedto the hoisting-cord b. The said clasp is made substantially in the formshown, be-

ing hollow and somewhat tapering, so that when the cord is passedthrough it and a knot made on the end of the cord the latter may besecured by drawing the knot into the clasp. The said clasp is providedwith two short arms or trunnions c, projecting from its sides, and hasan eye 6 for connection with the lamp.

The clasp F is tapered at the top, some what flattened, and has roundededges, (see Figs. 2 and 3,) and when in position in the.

casing A it must hang edgewise between the bearing pieces a, with thearms 0 extending therein, and when the lamp is raised by drawing thecord Z), in case the clasp is not in proper position to pass in betweensaid bearings, it is automatically turned edgewise by contact of theupper part of the clasp with the bearing-pieces.

The bearings Ct are formed with notches or recesses cl, which receivethe arm 0 of the clasp when the lamp is suspended in position, as seenin Fig. 1. The said bearings are also formed with several inclinededges, which serve to produce certain lateral movements of the clasp, ashereinafter stated.

Supposing the lamp to have been let down with the cord b, passing overthe pulley O and extending downward between the bearings a, and it isdesired to raise the lamp to its position, as seen in Fig. 1, theoperator draws the cord 1), raising the clasp and lamp eonnectedtherewith, and the arms 0, being brought in contact with the lowerinclined edges 9 of the bearings a, cause a movement of'the clasp andcord from the vertical line, the clasp moving along. the inclined edgesuntil the arms 0 have passed the angle 2', formed by the recesses cl,when the clasp swings back again, the arms 0 entering the recesses, andthe cord may then be slackened, leaving the lamp to be sustained by thearms 0 in the bearin gs a.

hen it is desired to remove the lamp from its position and let it downfor any purpose, the cord 1) is drawn, raising thelamp and raising theclasp from the bearings a. As the clasp is raised the arms 0 bearagainst the inclined edges m, formed by the recesses in thebearing-pieces, which causes an outward movement of the clasp and cordfrom the vertical line until the said arms have passed from the recessesand above the bearingpieces, (see Fig. 5,) when the clasp swings back tothe vertical line. The cord is then slackened and the lamp is allowed todescend by gravity, and as the clasp descends the arms 0 impinge againstthe outer inclined edges 11, and the clasp is thus pushed outward fromthe verticalline in an opposite direction and is allowed to pass downbelow the bearingpieces. Bythis construction the lamp may be raised toits position or lowered therefrom, as maybe desired, by means of thehoisting-cord only, and when the lamp is in position, with the claspsupported by the bearings a, the cord may be slackened, being relievedof all strain from the weight of the lamp. The hoisting-cord is usuallypassed forward over a sheave 19 near a supporting-pole of the wire D,and another cord 0 is connected with the casing of the hanger and passedrearward therefrom over a sheave q, this cord being provided with aweight 7, which should be of about ten pounds less weight than the lampand hanger. The counter-weight r is of sufficient gravity to overcomethe resistance of the casing B and the parts connected therewith whenthe cord In is released, but is not of sufficient weight to cause thelamp to be raised when the hanger is moved by drawing the said cord 12.

In many instances where wiresnotably trolley-wires of electric carswouldprevent a lamp being lowered directly, it is necessary that the hangerbe constructed to slide a short distance toward the 'pole beforelowering it, and by this construction the lamp may be readily drawntoward the pole and then lowered. hen the cord 5 is drawn,the weight 7'rises until it strikes the sheave q, when it stops, and then by pullingslightly harder on the cord the lamp may be raised, taking the claspfrom the bearings a, so that the lamp may be let down. The lamp beingraised again to its position, the hanger will be drawn back on the wireagain by the weight r. Should the hoisting-cord got broken or be cut bylightning, as often happens, the hanger and lamp may be drawn into thecross-arm pole without cutting leading wires, the lamp remainingsustained by the bearings a.

In Fig. 4 a modification is shown in the construction of the cap 13, therollers E being across the wire at the rear of the dog and then drawnforward, catching the arm 20, releasing the wire, and moving forward thehanger and lamp. This construction of the cap is suitable for somepurposes, and the sides A, being detachably secured by bolts 5, may beapplied to either form of cap.

I claim 1. The combination, with the casing of a hanger having twoconnected side parts constructed to be placed and to move onaspanwire,ofapulleyjournaledin said casing,acord connected with a lampand passed over said pulley and extended forward, and acord connectedwith said casing and extended rearward and passed over a sheave andprovided with a counterweight, the said counter-weight being ofsufficient gravity to overcome the resistance of the hanger and theparts connected with it when the cord connected with the lamp isreleased, but not of sufficient weight to cause the lamp to be raisedwhen the hanger is moved by drawing the last-mentioned cord,substantially as set forth and described.

2. The combination, with the casing of a hanger provided with oppositeinner bearingpieces and a pulley O, of a cord passed over said pulley, aclasp connected with said cord and provided with arms 0, constructed toconnect with said bearings, and an eye for connection with a lamp, thesaid clasp being somewhat flattened, tapered at the top, and havingrounded edges substantially as and for the purposes described.

In witness whereof I have subscribed my name in the presence of twowitnesses.

\VILLIAM KEY IIOVARD, JR.

Witnesses:

JOHN WATSON MANGHAM, THOMAS JAMEs COLLIER.

